Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-23

H sentfull Only for him | should
Tn never have kissed her, and in
that event you would not now
be reading this narrrtive.
In the outset let me tell you that nv
father was a stern aud self-willed man
who liked 10 have everything regulated
exactly according 10 his dictum He
was also an amateur agriculturist. You
know what that implies OF all en-
thusiasts they are certainly the most
indefatigablv unremitting. Why, he
was so devoted to the tillng of the soil
that he wanted TO keep me at il all the
time.
Happily for me our family abode was
in the city, so that ''the Governor" As
| Familiarity called him (when he was
absenD when seated in his cosy library
forecasting the future of farming or in
venting new styles of pumpkins,
couldn't positively determine whether
| was pruning pears at the farm. three
miles away. or drawing three of kind
at the Caste Club, around in the next
block There was no way for him to
ascertain unless | told him. That |
studlously avoided, you may depend
Why, | acquired sufficient skill in Civ
questions to have qualified me for the
presidency of some big railway
company.
Another pet project 1.-THE Governor"
had
Whenever We were not dissecting
and discussing in their manifold aspects
the probabilities of the Signal Service
and the probabilities OF what Sully
calls "the two breasts of the state" he
was generally engaged in descanting
upon the admirable attainments and
attractions of a certain young cousin of
his-three degrees removed Three
removals are said TO be equal TO a fire.
So was not greatly surprised to learn
that she was red-headed. Ny stern
parent had about concluded that |
should marry her. Date and details
only remained to be arranged. As yet,
however, i had not the honor Of her ac-
quaintance. And TO this dav, although
circumstances are somewhat altered, |
cannot recall that felt any particular
ly alert wearing to know her. just as
sure as my attention became in any
wise diverted from the subject of our
customary conversation sufficiently to
indicate that my interest in applied ag-
riculture was not as active as it should
be, Governor would quietly put away
his papers and prize parsnips and come
at me, so to speak. with his red-headed
relative. Do you wonder that avoided
his sage society as much as possible?
Finally he decided that Miss Bruce
the name of the lady he had chosen for
my wife should pay my sister visit at
tsfp Nnt llx 4 lot
mined TO wholly ignore her presence as
far as ordinary civility permitted. Nor
is it strange that grew to regard the
reproach of Christmas as an impending
calamity
How longed for An invitation to
spend the holidays with some acquaint-
ance about 1900 miles away. Watch
ing and waiting availed nothing. Not
an out-of-town invitation came.
After writing "a last resort to Tom
Yates, whom cordially disliked at
college, ong letter suggestive of
tendency 70 visit somebody. simply be-
cause he lived away across the CONT
nent, | took run mp into the adjoining
country 10 see pretty country girl
that knew
Now it seems strangely incongruous.
but with al his absorbing Partially for
pastoral pursuits my austere parent
never liked to see me in pursuit of the
pastoral damsel. So he had very
definitely Indicated his disproval Of that
rural Miss some time before. although
he could assign no specific objection
either To the lady or her family.
Nevertheless ! went. And enjoyed
my visit so much that ] remained ten
DAYS.
When ! got on the train to return
home the first man ! ran against in the
car to y infinite disgust, was Tom
Yates. So that last hope of escape was
shattered. AS refuge | could have